


as if we had a choice

by everlarklane



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canon Compliant, Death Eater Draco Malfoy, Death Eaters, Denial, Gen, POV Draco Malfoy, Poor Draco, Self-Denial
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-24 05:31:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17094803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everlarklane/pseuds/everlarklane
Summary: Lucius Malfoy is not a Death EaterRight?





	as if we had a choice

His father was not a Death Eater. He wasn’t. He  _ wasn’t.  _

The man that had taught him to ride a broom with light laughter, who’d held him after nightmares and over silly fears— the man who’d taught him to stand tall, spine straight, the man who’d hammered it into his head that he was worth  _ just as much  _ as any ancient family….he couldn’t be a murderer. Not willingly.

He’d known about the Imperius, of course. But that wasn’t his fault. Everyone knew that. The people like the Weasleys who said it was his father’s fault were wrong wrong wrong and Draco knew it! 

His father was not a Death Eater.

So why had his mother…

He stared up at the large bell hanging just in front of him. This was his space, where he could think when he got overwhelmed. Like now. 

His mother’s words rang in his head.

_ The Dark Lord has returned. Your father will be expected to take up his...duties. We may have to play host. You must be careful, my little dragon. There will be many eyes on you. _

Sunlight had strewn in around them, cloaking her thin shoulders in gold but all Draco had felt was a freeze curling in his stomach and lungs turned to slivers of ice. Cold. 

It couldn’t be true. 

But...his mother wouldn’t lie to him. 

Not about this. 

His father was not a Death Eater but his mother said he was and she never lied.

But how? His father hated muggles, rightly if Draco was honest, but that didn’t mean he went around murdering them and worse! If anything, it was too lowly for someone as regal and noble as Lucius Malfoy to do. Dirtying one’s hands were for vassal families, not those like the Malfoys. 

How could his father slaughter children one day and come back and cuddle Draco? 

How could he torture people like that fake-Moody had tortured spiders and run a hand through his hair and tell him how much he loved him and was proud of him and how he would make their family proud? How could he be so  _ kind _ and turn around and…

But the worst part was that Draco...could begin to see how. 

His father was cold to everyone but the pair of them, Narcissa and Draco. His father had encouraged him to beat that house elf— Dabby or something— even though the elf’s misdeeds were rarely so severe. And...if he was honest with himself, You-Know-Who’s goals lined up with his father’s well. 

But his father was not a Death Eater. 

He wasn’t. 

* * *

His arm burned as the snake and skull wove itself into his flesh. His father, gaunt and washed out from Azkaban, stood behind him, pride sparking in his gray eyes.

His father was a Death Eater and now Draco was as well.


End file.
